Food poisoning is – oddly – an excellent topic for a Naturehead because it leads you to discover the ecological quirks of the microbes behind it. Food poisoning is not a single type of ocurrence. The multi-faceted phenomenon entails a wide variety of microbes, each with their own special talents.

Bacillus cereus is a species of bacteria that defies some of the commonest advice that you hear about how to avoid food poisoning. If enough of these Bacillus cereus bacteria grow on your food successfully, cooking won’t save you from harm. You might kill them off after they have aready lacd your food with potent toxins.

“The spores of some species (especially Bacillus cereus and the ‘ Bacillus subtilis ‘ group) survive cooking and can subsequently germinate and grow under favourable conditions, particularly those in warm kitchens.” (from HPA website)